A Short History of Uruguay

Uruguayan artillery soldiers during the 1904 Blanco uprisingThe first people to settle in the area before the arrival of the Europeans were the Charrua, an indigenous tribe but today they number to no more than a thousand of mixed ancestry. The Spanish arrived in 1516 but have not fully colonized it until the 17th century because of the local’s hostility and unlike its other Latin American colonies the area has no gold or silver. However during the 17th century the area was hotly contested by the Spanish and Portuguese who were expanding from nearby Brazil. During the early 19th century Uruguay became a battlefield between the British and Portuguese each wanting to dominate the region.

Jose Gervasio Artigas led a revolt and defeated their Spanish colonial masters and formed the Federal League assuming the title Protector, as a result he is now recognized as the country’s national hero. Uruguay again becomes embroiled with a succession of conflicts and wars, internal and external, both for and against its two neighbors Brazil and Argentina. At one time Brazil once annexed the country as one of its province. Finally, the warring factions signed the Treaty of Montivideo, recognizing Uruguay’s independence.

In the late 19th century, immigrants flocked the country and they were responsible for the rapid development of the country. By the start of the 20th century, the population grew to one million. The country was the site of the First Football World Cup in 1930 and emerges victorious after defeating Argentina. In 1950 Uruguay won its second FIFA world cup after defeating Brazil, an event remembered as the Maracanazo.

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